Super Mario Story
by Proto-Waluigi
Summary: On the eve of the Wishing Festival, Exor reappears in the skies above the Mushroom Kingdom, crashing through the Star Road once again and burying itself into Princess Peach's Castle. In the resulting shockwave, Mario and friends are scattered across the kingdom and must once again search for the fragments of the Star Road while dealing with the Smithy Gang and the Wario Bros!
1. The Wishing Festival

Super Mario Story

Part One: Enter, the Smithy Gang!

Ch. 1 – The Wishing Festival

The skies over Toad Town were clear and blue, allowing the sun to beam down on the citizens as they went about their day. Toadsman and Toadswoman milled about in the wide, cobblestone streets; a veritable sea of multicolored mushroom caps, with the occasional Koopa or Goomba popping up amongst them. Rowf the Doogan hawked his badges from his outdoor stand, and a line had formed outside Merlon's hut with its whirling top. A sign by the door read "Free Star Readings on Festival Day". The entire town was abuzz with excitement over the Wishing Festival set to take place at sundown. Several shops had decorated their storefronts with paper Star Pieces and other festive ornaments in preparation for the celebration.

In all the hustle and bustle, Geno, in the form of a Star, went unnoticed above the crowds. He soared towards Mushroom Castle, entirely avoiding the merriment in the streets. The castle's magnificent white parapets and red conical roofs stood out against the open blue, overlooking the town from its hilltop. Toad guards stood scattered throughout the castle's perimeter wall, armed with spears and wearing grey mantles. Geno snuck past the sentries easily enough, their attention on the townsfolk and land directly in front of their stations. The castle grounds were just as excitable as the town, with wait staff preparing table settings and arranging flowers for the night's festivities. Cooks were coming in and out to the courtyards to set out food and ice sculptures as well. Geno gave extra care to avoid being seen, ducking into an open window when he could and hiding behind its drapery.

The cool air within the castle was a pleasant change from the heat outside. The halls were much quieter by comparison as well, the Star noticed. Geno peeked out from the curtain and floated silently towards the throne room. Dust motes lazily meandered in the sunlight of the numerous windows. A smell of vanilla and peaches permeated the air, the princess's two favorite scents. The Star moved from marble column to marble column, careful of anyone meandering the castle. He stopped dead as the silence was broken by voices coming from up ahead.

"The preparations for the festival are ahead of schedule, Chancellor!" The first voice chirped happily.

"Very good, Kinopio. And, our guests?" The second voice was much older, but seemed equally jovial.

"All accounted for! King and Queen Nimbus, Princess Daisy, Lady Bow...and, of course, Mario and Luigi, sir!"

"Yes, yes...Let's check on the cakes, shall we?"

Geno attempted to hide himself by floating into the rafters above, observing as Toadsworth and Kinopio passed by below. The red-capped Toad was writing things down on a clipboard as the chancellor rambled on about things that needed doing before the Wishing Festival. Once the coast was clear, the Star moved on, further into the castle. He eventually found Princess Toadstool's throne room, and the princess herself. There she was, sitting upon the throne penning thoughts into a thick tome with a quill in hand and a script in the other.

The throne room was lavish, with pink drapery and an expensive, plush carpet stretching from the actual throne to the doors. The floors were black granite and white marble, polished to such a sheen that they reflected the vaulted ceiling above, with its intricate paintings of the heavenly bodies of the world. It was truly a most regal place to gather one's thoughts. Not a sound could be heard, save for the princess's writing.

 _"Your Majesty,"_ Geno intoned politely, floating forward to present himself to the Mushroom monarch. His gentle tones danced on the air, reaching beyond the princess's hearing—into her mind.

Peach put down her quill and paper when Geno made himself present. She set aside the book she had been scrawling in on a small table standing beside the throne and rose to greet her ally. Peach's blue eyes were beaming and her cheeks were rosy, echoing her namesake. She smiled at the Star as he floated towards her. "Geno, my friend," she said sweetly. Peach curtsied to her guest, pink fabric ruffling softly and blonde curls bouncing in all directions. "What brings you to the Mushroom Kingdom on the eve of the festival?"

Geno moved in a vertical line as he said, _"There are important matters I must discuss with you, Mario, and Mallow. I tried to make my arrival as discreet as possible."_ The Star stopped his bouncing and asked, _"Do you have my old body, by chance?"_

The princess nodded and moved to find something behind her throne. She pressed a gloved finger to a red button hidden beneath the large chair and giggled as she heard stones shifting. Peach peaked from behind the throne and saw that a portion of tile to her right had disappeared, revealing a passageway. "Gaz allowed me to keep it here, should the day ever come when you may need it again," Peach explained as she led Geno down beneath the throne room through the secret tunnel.

 _"I did not know the castle had such secrets,"_ the Star mused as he followed Princess Toadstool deeper into the catacombs of Mushroom Castle. Geno's body cast a soft, golden glow that became brighter as the corridor grew darker. Torches suddenly came to life when they had reached a certain depth, lining the walls with light as the pair came upon their destination. Old magic was at work here, the Star could feel it.

Before them, a stained glass picture of a Grand Star blocked the way. Princess Peach, however, was not perturbed. The princess stepped _into_ the picture, as if it were a body of water, and disappeared!

Geno followed, passing through the glass installation hastily. It was like submerging yourself in water and quickly coming up for air. He found himself beside the princess, in a small chamber made of radiant pink and green crystals. Here, a number of pedestals stood, each holding a different item from Mario and his friends' many adventures. Geno's body, the blue cloaked doll that belonged to a boy in a place far from Toad Town, stood among such articles as the Cobalt Star, the castle's first Power Star, and the original "!" Block caps. Geno hastily zoomed through the air and into the doll, without so much as a word of warning!

Peach looked on in surprise as the doll blinked at her, and then smiled, its eyes full of life. "Geno?" She breathed.

"Hello, Princess!" The doll answered. Geno bowed to Peach and hopped down from his pedestal. "Thank you for keeping my body safe for me!" Geno stretched and flexed, getting used to having a material form again.

"Of course!" Peach said happily. "Now, let's see about getting Mario and Mallow here!"

"Right," Geno agreed. "I've actually sent a message on to Mallow. He should be on his way here with Mario in tow."

Princess Toadstool clapped her hands together. "Perfect! Then let's prepare some tea, shall we?" She took one of the doll's hands in her own and guided Geno out of the chamber and towards the kitchens.

"Oh, uh, Princess?" Geno stammered. "I kind of tried to keep my appearance—how do you say –low profile?"

Peach stopped short as that fact dawned on her. "Of course, my apologizes, Geno. Would you mind if we remained here then, until Mario and Mallow arrive? I have some important research I've been taken with recently and I'd love to finish my current work."

Geno shook his head. "No problem at all, Princess! What is it you're studying, exactly?"

"Why, the Star Road, of course!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Mushroom Woods to the west of Toad Town, Mario was enjoying the summer day the only way a hard-working plumber knew how: with a nap. The birds loaned their voices to the natural summer lullaby of the afternoon: a gentle wind, the buzz of cicadas and the rustling of the trees. The red-clothed hero was sleeping soundly on the porch swing of his little cottage; his chin dipped and cap in hand. And then, the Roy Bus crashed into the forest.

 _ **-CRASH-**_

Mario was awakened by the shock of the impact and jumped off of the swing with a start! He arced perfectly, landing teen feet from the house. He replaced his hat upon his head and looked around for the bus, wondering why he was always needed when he was just beginning to relax? A cloud of smoke and debris was settling a little ways beyond Mario's home, to the north, so he hastily ran off in that direction.

* * *

"Consarnit, bus!"

The mustachioed Lakitu fiddled with the engine of the Royal Bus and was clearly not happy with what he had found under the cloud vehicle's hood. He raised his head and wiped the sweat from his brow with his green hat. "I'ma 'fraid the engine's shot, Yer Majesty," the bus driver said remorsefully. "Could be a few hours before she's open and running again."

"It's alright, Lakilinus," Prince Mallow said kindly. The Nimbus boy was looking around at the forest, wondering where exactly they'd landed. Had Mallow not cast a barrier around the bus before crashing, he and the bus driver would have been pancakes. A shame he couldn't save the bus from damage, though. "I think I saw Mario's cottage a bit to the south of where we are now," he stated.

"Well, if ol' Mario can find his way tah us, we might be able to get tah the castle by sundown," Lakilinus said. "May be better if you two just go on tah the castle by Warp Pipe, Yer Majesty. I'll stick around and fix the Royal Bus."

Mallow smiled at his driver and nodded, which made his entire body move. "Thank you, Lakilinus! Take my Safety Pin, just in case." Mallow unstuck the shiny, cross-shaped badge from his pants, and pinned it to the bill of the Lakitu's cap. "That will keep you fighting fit, in case things get hairy," the prince explained. "Now, I better be off! C'ya later!" Mallow hefted his trusty Froggie Stick from inside the Royal Bus and wandered into the woods.

"Thank ya, Yer Majesty!" Lakilinus called out before returning to the engine of the bus. He scratched his temple with a wrench and wiggled his mustache in frustration. "Let's get tah work!"

* * *

Mario regretted leaving his hammer at home.

The red plumber found himself stomping on more Goombas, and punching more Spikeys than he cared to admit. He also neglected to bring any Mushrooms, and the stray bites and spines were starting to become a bother. The forests were starting to become infested with wild monsters lately. Mario hadn't paid much mind to them, but now they were showing up behind every tree and bush. As products of excess Dark Energy, the monsters had no real consciousness of their own beyond causing havoc, nor could they be truly dealt with for good. However, the hero did his best to keep their numbers to a minimum around his home.

 _ **-WhAcK!-**_

Mario caught a Spikey in the chink of its red armor with his fist, causing the sphereical, spine-covered creature to explode into a puff of multicolored stars. However, the plumber failed to notice the two wild Goombas who had appeared from the bushes behind him! The monsters leapt at Mario, fangs bared and ready to sink into the hero's flesh!

"Thunderbolt!"

With a blinding flash and the crackle of electricity, the two brown fungi were pierced by twin bolts of magical energy and disappeared in their own respective clouds! Mario turned in surprise to find his friend Mallow, his Froggie Stick held high, appear from the trees. The plumber jumped for joy and hugged the Nimbus.

"It's nice to see you again, Mario!" Mallow said happily, returning the hug. "Lakilinus was driving me to your home in the Royal Bus, but something bugged in the engine and we ended up crash landing..."

Mario offered to give Mallow assistance with the engine, but the prince waved him off.

"No need to worry. Lakilinus's fixing the engine as we speak. He insisted we go on ahead to-"

"HELP ME!"

The cry echoed from where Mallow had traveled, startling the Nimbus and Mario! Mallow gasped, realizing he'd spoken too soon. "That's Lakilinus! Mario—oh," the prince suddenly noticed the plumber's haggard appearance. He had clearly seen a number of enemies today. "Let me take care of that first. HP Rain!" Mallow used a few more Power Flowers and aimed his Froggie Stick at Mario as a small rain cloud formed above the hero's head. A small shower of healing water fell over Mario, healing his wounds and revitalizing his spirit.

Mario thanked Mallow and jumped excitingly, indicating his readiness to save the bus driver. Mallow smiled at the plumber and the two set off down the path the prince had taken prior to encountering Mario. The way was fairly peaceful, due to Mallow's own fighting in his search for his friend. He brought Mario up to speed on the business of Nimbus Land as they walked: How Garro's statues had become so popular that he was now doing business with Rose Town and Seaside Town, and Valentina was attempting to worm her way back into the land's politics. The prince himself seemed more confident and sure of himself than the young Nimbus Mario remembered traveling with. And yet, he still had that same humbleness about him.

The pair came upon the broken down Royal Bus, but found no sign of Lakilinus anywhere! The clearing was oddly silent, Mario noticed. He moved to check the bus as Mallow circled the perimeter.

"Lakilinus! Where are you?!" The prince cried as he searched for the Lakitu. Had something like this happened when Mario first met Mallow, the Nimbus boy would have surely been a crying mess. This Mallow, however, seemed beyond that hopelessness. He walked towards the bus, where Mario was having no luck finding clues. "It's like he just vanished..."

"No one just _vanishes_ in these woods, kid!"

Mario and Mallow both turned to find themselves face-to-face with two Hammer Bros! The large Koopas sneered at the plumber and Nimbus, their hammers hefted to attack, one in each hand. Mario knew these two, he realized. They were the same Hammer Bros. who had taken Kinopio captive that one afternoon on Mushroom Way between Mario's home and Toad Town!

"Looks like Mario's come back for another round, bro," One said. The two were nearly identical, though one did have a scar across his beak, a possible memento from his last bout with the plumber. "Should we show him what we've learned since last time?"

"Definitely!" Scar-nose exclaimed, launching a hammer directly at the mustachioed plumber!

Mario jumped without a moment's hesitation, allowing the hammer to fly full-speed into the thicket behind him! However, that didn't stop the Hammer Bros. Their hammers must have been enchanted with some special magic, because Scar-nose's appeared in his hand out of thin air!

"Let me try this time, bro!" The other brother chucked a hammer of his own, sending it sailing towards Mallow!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mallow was too slow and the projectile hit him square in the forehead! "Ouch..." The Nimbus rubbed his new welt tenderly, "What's your problem, anyway?! We didn't do anything to you guys!"

"Maybe you're innocent, kid, but your pal here gave us a whipping back in the day and we're still a bit sore about it," Scar-nose said sourly.

"Then at least tell us what you did with Lakilinus," Mallow demanded, brandishing his Froggie Stick.

"The old Lakitu? We took his coins and tied him up!" The other brother answered, receiving a glower from Scar-nose. "Uh, it's not like it matters, though," he stammered. "Because, we're going to give you what for right here and now!"

"Right!" Scar-nose and his brother each timed their throws for their next attack, sending a flurry of hammers from seemingly nowhere at Mario and Mallow! "Hammer Time!"

"Ouch! Quit it!" Mallow said peevishly, as he shielded himself from the blows. "I said, ENOUGH!" Mallow pointed his Froggie Stick at the two brothers and shouted, "SNOWY!" Mallow retrieved a small cluster of Power Flowers from his pants pocket and crushed them, activating his magic. From over the Hammer Bros. heads' a flurry of snow and ice formed, becoming an enormous snowman!

"Uh, bro?" Scar-nose said meekly.

"Yeah, bro?" The other Koopa replied.

"Look out!"

The two ducked out of the way of the descending snow spell, but not quickly enough! Both became trapped beneath the slush as they tried to escape!

"So c-c-c-c-cold," Scar-nose managed through gritted teeth. Everything but his bill had been buried beneath the ice. There was no sign of the other brother, but Mario did spy a hammer buried in the mound of snow. With all the practicality of a man who knows not to waste a good tool, the plumber jumped effortlessly atop the pile and took the hammer for himself.

"Tell us where you hid Lakilinus," Mallow ordered the Hammer Bro. "If you're quick about it, I'll even take care of this snow for you."

"Inside th-th-th-the tree stump t-t-to the east of here," Scar-nose answered, forcing an arm out of the ice to point a claw in the right direction.

Mallow nodded and smiled. "Thank you." He then touched his staff to the pile of slush, causing it to melt away to nothing, revealing both Hammer Bros., severely chilled and utterly helpless.

Mario walked towards where the Koopa had said, and found the old Lakitu tied up and passed out. When the plumber jumped down to rescue him, the driver stirred and seemed totally out of sorts.

"Huh?! Whuzzat? Mario?" Lakilinus squinted at the hero. "What're you doing down here? Didya hear me hollerin'?" Mario nodded and untied the Lakitu, freeing him to steer his cloud out of the tree stump with the plumber in tow.

When they emerged, Mallow was waiting for them alone.

"Lakilinus!" The prince ran over to the driver and gave him a hug. "I'm so happy you're all right!"

"Haha, thanks fer savin' me, you two!" The Lakitu said with a chuckle. "What happened to them Hammer Bros?"

"Mario and I took care of them," Mallow answered. He then reached into the back pocket of his trousers and retrieved a large golden Coin. "Here's your coins back, Lakilinus!"

The old bus driver took the Coin thankfully. "Much appreciated, Yer Majesty!" He then tipped his hat and pulled his wrench from some unknown part of his cloud and said, "Well, back to work! I reckon with those trouble-makers gone, I can get that engine running in no-time! Y'all should get goin' though, the sun's gonna be settin' soon and the festival's gonna start!"

"Lakilinus is right, Mario," Mallow said. "We'd better get back to your place and use the Warp Pipe to get to Mushroom Castle!"

Mario nodded and exchanged good-bye's with the Royal Bus driver before departing with Mallow back to the plumber's cottage.

* * *

"That's horrible...awful...terrible!" Peach exclaimed!

"That's why it is of the utmost importance that we gather Mario and Mallow here," Geno explained. "The Star Spirits are worried. A tear in the fabric of this dimension has been slowly growing over the last few days. They fear that tonight it may rip apart completely! We need Mario and Mallow in case things get out of hand."

"But, do you think the four of us alone can stop whatever may happen tonight?" Peach asked. "If what you're saying is true, and this dimensional tear spits something out into our world, can we really stop it?"

"Do you doubt us, Princess?" Geno asked innocuously.

Toadstool shook her head. "No, it's not that," she answered. "I believe we have the power amongst us...but what about the guests? We must ensure none come to harm, if we can prevent it."

Geno crossed his arms and pondered for a moment before asking, "Does the castle have any other secret tunnels? Ones that may be used to, say, escape the castle if necessary?"

The princess giggled at the question. "Why, of course there are! We had them built after the last time Bowser lifted my castle into the air. There is a secret network that has entrances in the four courtyards of the castle, all leading to the same exit on the outskirts of Toad Town."

"Brilliant!" The Star exclaimed. "If things get hairy, we'll escort the guests down into the tunnel then. We should inform the guards and the Chancellor, as well, of our plans."

"Certainly!" Peach motioned for the doll to follow her as she exited the throne room. "I'm sure Toadsworth is out making sure everything is in order with Kinopio. If you wish to remain here, I'll be back in just a moment."

Geno, however, followed the princess. "I'd rather stay by your side, Princess. In light of possible future events, it would not be wise to leave you alone, even if it does compromise my position."

"Well, thank you, Geno," Peach said. "However, I am entirely capable of taking care of myself," she added as they went in search of the Chancellor.

Mario and Mallow emerged from the Mushroom Woods, scraped and bruised, and found themselves at the base of the small hill upon which Mario's home rested. The plumber sighed of relief, as Mallow had run out of Power Flowers in the forest and Mario had none of his own. The plumber ushered Mallow into his home and grabbed two mushrooms immediately.

"Thanks, Mario," Mallow said gratefully. He ate his mushroom in one bite, feeling revitalized almost immediately! "I forgot how quickly Mushroom Kingdom mushrooms worked on the body! Nimbus Land beans aren't half as quick by comparison!"

Mario smiled at the prince and, now that he had a moment's peace, asked why he was on his way to the plumber's home in the first place?

"Oh! That's right!" Mallow suddenly remembered the entire reason for his trip! "Geno contacted me today and said we needed to meet him and Princess Toadstool at Mushroom Castle as soon as possible! I guess you were already going to be there tonight for the festival, huh?"

Mario shook his head. He had forgotten all about the Wishing Festival! Without Luigi around to get the mail, the plumber had neglected to read the princess's personal invitation...

"Well, then it's a good thing Geno suggested I pick you up! Now, let's get to Toad Town! I'm sure Princess Toadstool and Geno are waiting for us already."

Mario nodded and led the prince to where his Warp Pipe Network was set up. The room was an extension Mario had added to the original home some years back when he realized travel by foot was incredibly time-consuming, even with the P-Wing and Wing Cap. Since he was good friends with the princess, she had no objections when Mario built his own collection of Warp Pipes that only he could activate from his home to allow for instantaneous transportation. There were a total of ten Warp Pipes, each a different color and with a plaque upon its neck that indicated its intended destination.

The plumber moved towards a pink Warp Pipe that read, "Peach's Castle: Private Garden". The pipe was large enough to stand on and had a mesh grating over its opening. The way they worked was a most curious phenomena not entirely understood by most people. Essentially, a person stands on the pipe's grating and descends, somehow bending through space and time to arrive at the pipe's other opening almost instantly. Mario hopped onto the Warp Pipe and tipped his cap, slowly sinking into the pipe's magical structure to arrive at Mushroom Castle.

Almost as soon as Mario had vanished into the pink pipe, a new grate appeared over the opening, allowing Mallow to follow his friend. One could ride through Warp Pipes all their lives and never grow accustom to the strange physics of pipe travel. It felt like your entire body was being pulled from both ends and experiencing vertigo all at once. The speed of it was equally jarring. Mallow blinked on his way down and nearly stumbled as, in that seemingly nonexistent time frame, he found himself emerging from the Warp Pipe in a small garden of Peach's Castle. Mario was there waiting for him, smiling at the prince's dizziness.

"Yeesh!" The Nimbus said, shaking from side to side to clear his head (and body). "I don't get how you and your brother do that sort of thing all the time!" He looked around at the garden and wondered where in the castle this could be. It was like a small, circular sanctuary: in the center stood the Warp Pipe, pink-gold and glittering, with flowers surrounding it and sunlight filtering in from a large, circular window above them.

Mario laughed and suggested they find the princess and Geno. He explained that, after a while, you become expectant of the vertigo and brace for it, though it never really stopped happening. Mallow followed the plumber as they emerged onto the castle grounds from a small, unassuming spire located in the north-eastern courtyard of the castle.

The guard standing outside the door was shocked to see someone emerge and nearly skewered Mario with his spear. "My apologizes, Mario!" The Toad said with obvious embarrassment. "No one had informed me that you would be using the Warp Pipe today!"

Mario waved off the guard's worries and left with Mallow towards the throne room, where the princess would likely be prior to the festivities. Various Toads greeted the plumber and prince cheerily as they wandered the castle, all helping to make the place look spectacular for the evening. They entered the castle's central hall when a shrill voice called out:

"Mario!"

The plumber turned to find his friend, Toadette, approaching him with great haste from the lawn. "I'm glad I found you," she said. "Princess Peach is waiting for you and Prince Mallow in the castle's library! You should head inside and see her right away!" Toadette waved as she made her way back towards a cluster of other Toadgirls who seemed to be giggling and staring at Mario and Mallow.

Mallow waved back, bemused, and followed Mario inside. He seemed to have turned a rosey shade of pink and said, a little dreamily, "So...uh, library, right?"

Mario nodded and the pair made their way there. Several decorations hung about the halls, from bouquets of colorful flowers, to ornamental Stars that hung from the rafters above. The walls had a lovely mural of clouds during sunset and the walls were tinged with the scents of vanilla and peach, giving the building a calm, springy atmosphere. They approached the blue door marked "Library" and entered without further ado.

Inside, the two heroes found the chamber seemingly empty. They walked amongst the labyrinthine book shelves, unsure if the princess was above them on the room's second level. As they walked deeper into the dusty library, they heard the princess's voice, as well as Geno's. The pair rounded a corner between shelves and found Peach talking with wooden doll that Geno once used as a body. The two sat at a large wooden table that was covered with loose pages and an open, large, musty tome. As Mario and Mallow approached, Geno and the princess turned to greet them.

"Mario! Mallow!" Princess Peach gave the two a hug and beamed. "It's so wonderful to see you both! Geno and I have been catching up while we waited for you."

Mario tipped his hat to the princess and shook hands with Geno. Mallow performed a slight bow and said, "We're sorry we're late. The Royal Bus crashed by Mario's home and things got a little complicated after that..."

"It matters not," Geno assured the Nimbus. "Now that we're all here, we should discuss why it is I asked you to meet with me." The doll plucked a page from the table and said, "The Star Spirits are concerned about a rip in the fabric of this dimension. Over the past few days, this rip has been expanding and appears to be leaking excess Dark Energy into our dimension."

"Excess Dark Energy?" Mallow echoed, confused.

"The chaotic energy that monsters are made of," the doll explained. "When it pools together, that energy takes the physical form of various creatures intent on causing harm and destruction. Now, Dark Energy is abundant in this dimension already, but this tear has been allowing too much pollute our home."

"What can we do to stop this?" Princess Peach asked.

"Well, the Star Spirits believe the cause is a foreign entity attempting to invade our home dimension, causing the tear and the leak thereafter," Geno went on. "We've all seen this before, together." He allowed that to sink in amongst the heroes.

Mario's expression grew serious as he realized what Geno was implying: Smithy was trying to invade the Mushroom Kingdom once again.

"But we defeated Smithy...right?" Mallow wasn't so sure as he said it aloud. "We gathered the Stars, put an end to the Factory's production...how could he be back?"

Geno held the page in his hand high as Mallow came upon the million-Coin question. "That's exactly what the Princess and I have been researching while waiting for your arrival. Tonight is the night of the Wishing Festival: where people write down their wishes on tags that are tied to Star Pieces and placed upon Shooting Star Summit, to be granted by the Stars above. As you are all aware, wishes cannot be granted without the Star Road that bridges the world to Star Haven. When we first fought Smithy, the Star Road had been shattered by Exor into seven pieces, one of which Smithy kept in his possession and six others which we found together across the kingdom."

"Smithy did mention that he could use the Stars we'd gathered to take over our world..." Peach mentioned. "Do you think...maybe one Star was all he needed, after all?"

Geno nodded. "Precisely. According to these writings, the Star Road is the physical body of all peoples' hopes and dreams. If broken, its fragmented pieces can be used to manipulate the world as the user sees fit. When we had first collected the Stars, their powers laid dormant. But there is nothing to say Smithy's own Star was not activated. He could have used the Star's power to prevent a complete failure should things turn south for him and his mechanical army."

"Then it's settled," Princess Peach said. "We have to simply stop Smithy should he try anything tonight. The guards have already been informed to heard the guests towards the castle's secret exit. We should revisit the armory below the throne room and gather supplies."

Geno, Mallow and Mario all agreed and followed the princess out of the library and back to the throne room. As they walked, she asked Mario, "Where is Luigi, by the way?"

Mario explained that his brother had decided to move into his formerly haunted mansion and that he'd been spending the last few weeks repairing it. Mario had no idea if he'd even be attending the festival, truth be told.

"A shame," Peach said with a sigh. "Daisy is supposed to be coming tonight, so I thought it'd be nice if the two of them could share a dance." Both Peach and Mario knew that Luigi had a crush on Princess Daisy, and she appeared to return his affections. However, the green plumber was too shy to act, leaving Daisy with mixed signals. Princess Toadstool had been trying to get them together since their first tennis tournament together.

"Speaking of guests," Mallow piped in. "My parents are supposed to be attending the party as well! I sure hope they'll be okay..."

"No need to worry, Mallow," the princess said gently. "With you, Mario and Geno, we'll all be perfectly safe!" Mallow smiled at that. The heroes arrived at the throne room, only to find Toadsworth and Kinopio waiting for them.

"Princess!" The Chancellor waddled over to the group, his walking stick clicking on the tile. "And, Masters Mario, Mallow, and Geno! A pleasant surprise!"

"Hey, guys!" Kinopio greeted them happily, walking over to his friends with the chancellor.

Mario exchanged greetings with the Toads, as did Mallow and Geno. Once everyone had swapped pleasantries, the princess asked Toadsworth, "Is there something we can help you with, Toadsworth?"

"Actually, yes, Princess! The festivities are set to begin shortly. You must be present at the gates to welcome the guests," the Chancellor answered.

"Oh! My, the time really has slipped away from us," Peach said with surprise. "Mario, Mallow, Geno, I know we need to be on our guards tonight, but try to enjoy yourselves, okay? I have royal duties to tend too, I'm afraid." The princess left with Kinopio and Toadsworth, leaving the three heroes alone in the throne room as guests from across the kingdom began to fill the courtyards outside.

"Well, guess it's time to party, huh?" Mallow chuckled at his own pun, but Geno and Mario didn't get it. "Jeez, you two are so serious..."

The trio had no way of knowing this would be the last chance for them to joke for quite some time...


	2. The Sword and the Castle

Ch. 2 – The Sword and the Castle

The Wishing Festival was already in full swing by the time Luigi arrived at Mushroom Castle. He had been busy the entire day reworking the plumbing system of his mansion and almost forgot about the party. Had it not been for his ghostly companion Polterpup, the green plumber would have worked through the entire festival! The taller of the Mario Bros. looked across the lawns of Peach's Castle in search of his brother or one of the princesses. He saw several faces he recognized: Toadette and Kinopio, Goombario and Koops, Bombette and Lady Bow, but neither 'stache nor cap of his brother Mario.

The festival itself was a sight to behold.

All within the perimeter walls of Mushroom Castle and onto Shooting Star Summit's base, guests from all over the kingdom had gathered to celebrate. In each of the courtyards, and along the path to the summit, tables of food were piled high with delicacies from all over the land. Small orchestral bands were placed throughout the lawns, playing soft tunes for the guests as they danced and ate and made merry. Everywhere Luigi looked, people were laughing and enjoying themselves.

"Hi, Luigi!"

The green hero jumped, startled by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see that it was Princess Daisy, much to his embarrassment and excitement. "Oh-oh, Daisy! Hi!" Luigi attempted to sound casual, but he stammered as he spoke. "Um, you look lovely this evening..." He blushed and scratched the back of his neck with a gloved hand, avoiding the princess's gaze.

Indeed, the desert princess looked stunning in the setting sun. Her auburn-colored hair and bronze complexion, complimented by her orange and goldenrod gown and turquoise eyes, made her a vision to be dazzled by. She smiled, caught off-guard by Luigi's words and the plumber felt his heart flutter in a way only she could cause. "Thank you, Luigi," Daisy said with a giggle. "You look...like you've been working all day?"

Luigi suddenly became incredibly conscious of the grease and water stains on his overalls and the odor of the Haunted Forest that hung on his clothes; moss, damp earth and the sickly sweet smell of ectoplasm. He fumbled to straighten himself out as he explained. "I've been...uh, repairing that old mansion of mine. It's been pretty hard work, but it's coming along."

"I'm happy to hear it," Daisy said sweetly. "I could come by sometime?" She asked playfully. "Maybe help you spruce the place up? I do have a green thumb, you know?"

Luigi turned red and managed to say, "I'd...really appreciate that, thank you."

The princess of Sarasaland extended a hand to the green plumber as the orchestra struck up another song. "Care to dance, Weegee?"

Luigi gulped and nodded, taking Daisy's hand in his and proceeding to a spot designated for dancing amidst the mingling guests. He was surprised to find himself not nearly as nervous as he thought he'd be, given the circumstances. Daisy moved into his movements and allowed herself to be guided by the plumber's hands as they waltzed, neither noticing that everyone else had stopped to admire them. Luigi dipped Daisy and spun her and she beamed, giddy over the plumber's unexpected gracefulness.

Away from the dancing, Mario and Mallow watched Luigi and Daisy while they enjoyed Kerokero Colas. The red-capped plumber noted that Luigi had always been a better dancer than he was, and he was happy to see his brother being admired.

"He seems to really be enjoying himself," Mallow agreed with a sip of his Cola. "I wonder where Geno wandered off to?" The Nimbus looked around, but could not find the blue-cloaked doll in the crowds. "Should we go look for him, Mario?"

The plumber scanned the area himself and also could not spot Geno, but he shook his head and said that Geno knew what he was doing, so they shouldn't worry. The Star was a rather ambiguous character, even if Mario considered him a friend. Better to leave people to their secrets.

"Well, how about we say hi to your brother and then check out Shooting Star Summit?" Mallow suggested.

Mario agreed, finishing his beverage and walking towards his brother. Mallow scrambled to follow suit. By the time they reached Luigi and Daisy, the two were bashfully accepting applause from the crowd after having finished their dance.

"Mario!" Luigi hugged his brother warmly and shook hands with Mallow. "And Mallow, too! I've been looking for you, bro! Where were you hiding? Did you see me and Daisy just now?"

Daisy curtsied to Mallow and gave Mario a hug. "It's an honor to meet you, Prince Mallow. I actually saw your parents a bit earlier! And it's great to see you again, Mario!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, as well, Princess Daisy," Mallow answered jovially. "I've heard so much about Sarasaland and its princess but they never mentioned you were such a good dancer!"

The princess blushed and waved off the Nimbus's kind words with a hand. "You flatter me, Prince. I've always wanted to visit Nimbus Land, you know? I hear it's like a whole 'nother world up there!"

Luigi nudged Mario and whispered to him as Daisy and Mallow talked. "Hey, bro? Is your friend trying to hit on Daisy?"

Mario laughed and shook his head. Mallow was just friendly, he explained to Luigi, and, being a prince, he was taught to be cordially with royalty. The young Nimbus didn't seem interested in Daisy anyhow, if the plumber were to judge.

The younger brother sighed with relief. "Good to know. So, where's Princess Peach?" He asked at a more appropriate volume.

Mario shrugged. He hadn't seen Toadstool since she left to greet guests at the beginning of the festival. He figured she must be entertaining some foreign emissary or trying to escape Toadsworth. Or, both, as was most often the case.

"I haven't seen her all night either," Daisy added. "Let's go find her!" She grabbed Luigi's hand and pulled him along with her. The green plumber waved his free arm haphazardly for Mario and Mallow's assistance, forgetting the Sarasaland Princess's strength as she nearly removed his other arm from its socket. Mallow and Mario both chuckled and followed the pair as they went in search of their hostess.

* * *

The purple and blue earth of Shooting Star Summit seemed to glow softly in the dwindling twilight. Various residence of the Mushroom Kingdom were wandering about the hillside, Star Pieces in their hands with wishes tied to them. The area was suffused with light by the crystals and fallen stars of the area, giving the entire hill an ethereal presence in the evening time. Geno had chosen to visit the summit before things went sour, in order to commune with the Star Spirits once more.

The blue robed doll went almost entirely unnoticed by the guests of the princess's festival. It was just as well, since Geno knew almost no one in attendance and was not one for ideal conversation in the best of circumstances. Young Toads were running about, playing tag or pretending to be Super Mario, stirring up the fireflies to add more light to the sky. He spotted the Shaman siblings that lived at the base of the hill, Merluvlee and Merlow, both talking animatedly beneath their windmill home with another cloaked figure, this one with a luxurious mustache. The Star knew the other man to be Merlon, the town's mystic and patriarch to the Shamans of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Geno made sure to steer clear of them, as Shamans were notoriously boring storytellers and could talk one into sleeping after only a few minutes. Mario could attest to that from numerous occurrences, he remembered. He steadily ascended the hillside, milling between guests and trying to remain unseen. As he approached the summit's peak, the Star noticed that there were fewer and fewer people around. The sun had finally dipped beneath the horizon, hiding Shooting Star Summit beneath a vast, starlit sky. The natural light of the flora and crystals provided the guests with enough luminance to proceed safely back to the inviting lights of the castle.

As he crested the summit, Geno was surprised to find Princess Toadstool, alone, praying at its center. He quietly approached, careful not to disturb the princess, as he moved amongst the star lilies that bloomed atop the hill. There at the center, where Princess Peach knelt, was a circular platform of stone, with an ancient carving of a Star upon its surface. Geno noticed that, as the princess prayed, the carving seemed to glow a soft pink. When she finished, Peach rose to her feet, and the aura emanating from the dais ceased as well. The doll stepped forward and bowed to the princess.

"I did not mean to disturb you, Princess," Geno apologized, fearing he'd ruined her concentration.

However, Peach wiped away his concerns with a smile. "It's all right, Geno. I was just asking the Stars for their aide on this night, should things turn out for the worst. Have you been enjoying the festivities? It's already grown dark, I'm afraid. Everyone will have gone inside by the time we return to the castle."

Geno nodded. "It has been quite a magical evening for everyone, I imagine. The Stars do not celebrate holidays, and so the idea is a bit foreign to us. However, it has been refreshing to see so many smiling faces from all over the kingdom, together."

"Ah, that's right," Peach said with a giggle.

"What?" The doll asked, perplexed.

Peach covered her mouth and giggled once more. "It's nothing, really," she said sincerely. "I had simply forgotten that you are not...well, mortal. Your home is way up there above the clouds, while mine has always been right here, on earth."

Geno simply stared at the sky for a moment, unsure of what to make of the princess's comment. "It's a long existence," he said finally, a hollow note in his voice.

Princess Toadstool looked up at the stars as well. "I imagine it must be."

* * *

Mario, Mallow, Luigi, and Princess Daisy found themselves wandering the castle grounds without Geno or Princess Peach as the stars came out in the evening sky. Almost all of the other party guests had already withdrawn inside the walls, enjoying even more food and music. Peach was not one to shirk on her parties, that much was certain.

"Do you think they're all right?" Daisy asked. She had hiked up her dress hours ago, amusing the others when they discovered the princess wore tennis shoes beneath her gown. Daisy reasoned practicality, and the others came to agree.

"I'm sure they're okay...right, Mario?" Luigi sounded less than sure. He tried to find a sign of Peach or Geno, but it was becoming impossible to see much of anything in the growing night.

"Guys!" Mallow shouted, pointing towards the faint glow of Shooting Star Summit. "I think I see them!" The heroes all followed the prince's direction and could barely make out a pink and blue couple leaving the summit together.

Mario jumped up and down and began to run full-tilt towards Princess Peach! He sprinted down the green hills of the castle lawn and could see Peach waving to him when everything when black.

* * *

 _ **-BOOM!-**_

From the sky overhead, a sound like a thousand windows breaking at once followed by a deep, earthly roar ripped across the grounds! Mario stopped dead in his tracks and looked towards the heavens, causing his blood to run cold.

"It...it can't be...!" Mallow gasped, eyes wide with terror at what was crashing down upon them.

"Exor!" Geno yelled, firing his Star Gun! The doll's right hand fired star-shaped bullets at the enormous sword, but they had no effect! "We have to stop this!" But, even as Geno said it, it was already too late.

 _ **-CrAsHHHHHHHhhhhh-**_

Exor landed directly into the center of Princess Peach's Castle, sending a shock wave across the land that scattered Mario and company to the corners of the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach thought she was screaming Mario's name, but there was no sound as she flew like a shooting star across the skies of her home. She remembered, before blacking out, about the guests at the party:

 _"Please, let them be safe!"_

* * *

Mario vaguely recalled seeing the Star Road shatter into seven pieces all over again. One second the sky was full of twinkling stars, and the next it was black; winked out as if it had never been. The Stars soared across the inky darkness in splendid light, dispersing across the kingdom. _Deja vu_ crossed the plumber's mind as he watched the great sword pierce Toadstool's Castle and the seven colored Stars made comet tails as they sailed across the land. He, too, passed out, as Fate decided what to do with its treasured heroes.

"...rio...!"

"Mar...Mario!"

The red-capped plumber slowly came to consciousness and grimaced when he noticed the dull throbbing in his head. He found himself lying in a bed at the back of a circular room. The roof seemed to be domed and Mario smelled the familiar odor of Koopa Leaves in the air; almost like mint tea, but sharper. He glanced to his left, and then his right, squinting to make out the relieved faces of both Luigi and Mallow. But, where were the others?

"He's awake, Luigi!" Mallow exclaimed. "Mario! You've been out for nearly two days now!"

"Mallow, let him get his bearings," Luigi chided. "Hey, bro, how ya' feeling?" He attempted to smile for his older brother, but Mario could see that Luigi was obviously shaken up. What had happened while he was asleep?

Mario asked as much, and was answered by a falter in his brother and Mallow's expressions. The older plumber sat up in bed and nodded his head. He'd been right, the three of them were in Koopa Village, to the east of Toad Town. He hazarded a guess and asked Luigi where Kooper had gone?

"Kooper had to leave yesterday with Bombette. They're trying to rally our friends to try and fight against the Smithy Gang," Luigi said sadly. "It's bad out there, bro. Toad Town's been completely taken over, and Peach's Castle is impossible to get to thanks to Exor."

"Geno and the princesses...we don't know where they are," Mallow added. "Most, if not all, of the guests from the party seemed to make it out of town before Smithy's Machine-Mades started showing up and destroying everything...except my parents, that is." The Nimbus sniffled and Mario heard a light shower begin outside. The prince was clearly worried.

Luigi placed a hand on Mallow's shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "We'll find 'em, Mallow. We just gotta sneak into Toad Town, first!"

Mallow's eyes went wide upon processing Luigi's suggestion. "WHAT?! You want us to just waltz right into Toad Town like it's no big deal? Smithy's entire _ARMY_ is spawning from there!"

Mario raised a hand. Both Luigi and Mallow looked at the hero with anticipation as he explained that it was indeed necessary to get as close to Peach's Castle as possible and save anyone they could, especially Mallow's parents.

"Gah..." Mallow frowned at the prospect of battling Smithy's mechanized monstrosities. "We have to save my parents, though," He reasoned. "And if that means we have to fight, then I guess we have no choice!" From outside, they heard the roar of distance thunder, causing the Nimbus to blush. "Oops...sorry," he said bashfully.

The trio departed from Kooper's home in the small village of Koopas. The square was completely full of tents with various guests from the Wishing Festival tending to their families and themselves after escaping the castle grounds. They seemed well enough, and Mario even spotted Kinopio and Toadette. He walked over to the two Toads, and asked them how things were going.

"We're alright, Mario," Kinopio said with a smile. "The Chancellor got everyone out safely..." His smile disappeared after saying that though. "Well, everyone except Princess Peach, Princess Daisy and Geno...and King and Queen Nimbus..."

Toadette looked especially worried. "Mario! You need to find them, quick!" She pleaded. "I can't believe this is happening all over again!" Toadette pulled at her pigtails in dismay.

Kinopio nodded in agreement. "The other retainers and I have been maintaining order amongst the refugees as best we can, but people are worried about their homes. Most of our foreign guests have already left back to their own towns and lands in fear that something like this will happen there, too."

"No need to worry, guys," Luigi said reassuringly. "Mario, Mallow and I are going to do our best to save Toad Town and get things back to normal!" Now was not the time to give into fear, and Luigi knew it better to hide his own anxieties than to spread hopelessness by giving up.

"Luigi's right!" Mallow smiled at the two Toads and gave them a thumb's-up. "And we'll find the princesses and my parents, too!" The Nimbus put on a brave face. He'd lost his parents once before, and he was must certainly not going to let it happen again.

Mario gave them a confident jump, brightening the siblings' spirits. Kinopio and Toadette wished the trio good-luck as they parted ways. The red plumber noticed that the Koopas of the village were offering assistance to the Toad Town inhabitants, bringing out hot food from their shell-motif homes and providing blankets to those in need. The entire community was alive with activity. Mario spotted Toadsworth chatting with the leader of the village and waved to him, which caused the chancellor to drop everything he was doing and run immediately to Mario's side.

"Master Mario!" The old Toad exclaimed, winded from his small sprint. "I've been waiting for you to wake up for _TWO DAYS_ now! We need you to take care of whatever problem it is that has befallen our beloved capital! That sword may have very well destroyed all the new work we put into the castle over the last year! And, of course, you simply _MUST_ find Her Majesty, toot-sweet!"

Luigi stepped forward and placed an arm before his brother. "Toadsworth, please. Mario just woke up. As it is, we're already on our way to Toad Town to inspect the damage and see what we're up against."

Toadsworth crossed his arms in a huff. "Very well then! Continue, Master Mario, Master Luigi, Master—er..." The Chancellor's white mustache seemed to droop as he remembered Prince Mallow's own parents were missing as well. "Prince Mallow, my sincerest condolences to you," he said humbly. "I assure you, Mario and Luigi will find the King and Queen in two shakes of a Yoshi's tail!"

"I know, Chancellor," Mallow said with a nod. "But, I'll be traveling with them to help! After all, I _did_ help Mario stop Smithy once before! And, besides, they're my parents. Of course I'm going to look for them myself!"

The elder Toad chuckled at the prince's pragmatism. "Be sure to watch each others' backs, you three!" Toadsworth shook hand with the Mario Bros. and Mallow before returning to the Koopa Elder, who was directing three Bob-Ombs on where to set up another tent.

The air was beginning to cool as day turned to twilight once more. The trees rustled as a wind picked up, pushing west. The trio left the village behind them, unaware that they were being followed from the shadows. The purple crocodile zipped from bush, to tree, to rock, always remaining out of sight of the heroes. Croco trailed Mario and company as they entered the stretch between Toad Town and Koopa Village known as Bandit's Way. He grinned a toothy grin and crept along in silence.

* * *

Geno had the image of Exor skewering Princess Peach's Castle burned into his head. Even as he lay unconscious, the sneer on the monster blade's face tormented him. He hadn't been strong enough. Ever since he blinked into existence, Geno had been a warrior. His destiny was to act as the executioner amongst the Stars, to enforce their will through unbridled strength. And yet, he was unable to do just that.

 _"Geno..."_

The memory of Exor exploded into a shower of light before Geno's eyes, reforming into the form of Eldstar, the leader of the Star Spirits. The glowing, mustachioed Star looked upon the doll within which the Star Warrior resided with mournful eyes.

 _"You cannot give up, Geno. The Stars have put their faith in you, and in your friends..."_

Geno shook his head and spread his arms before the Star Spirit. "I was too weak, oh Eldstar! Even with Mario, Mallow, and Princess Toadstool, we lost. Smithy has returned to this world and the Star Road is once more scattered to the winds."

 _"There is always hope, Geno."_ Eldstar's glow intensified and Geno was suddenly bathed in a refreshing, white light.

After a moment, the light faded, and Geno found his body mended and new. "Where must I go from here?" He asked the Star Spirit.

 _"You must gather the fragments of the Star Road and bring them together at the peak of Shooting Star Summit..."_ Eldstar's image began to fade as he spoke. _"My connection to the mortal world is weak...protect the princesses, Geno..."_

"Eldstar?!" Geno reached out to the Star Spirit as he faded away to nothingness. The darkness began to fall away and the Star Warrior became aware of a voice calling out to him.

"...no...!"

"Geno...!"

* * *

With a gasp, the Star Warrior returned to consciousness, entirely disoriented and unsure of what was going on. Geno blinked and saw with some relief that Princess Toadstool and Princess Daisy were okay, both staring at him with equal amounts happiness and surprise. The three of them seemed to have landed somewhere in the middle of a dense...rainforest? Geno rose shakily to his feet and look around, confused. How could they be in a rainforest? Unless, could Exor's shock wave really have sent them so far south as to land on Y'oster Isle? They were in the middle of a well-worn path. Had the princesses been traveling while he'd been asleep?

"Oh, thank the Stars!" Princess Peach hugged Geno as he came to his senses. "Geno, we've been worried sick about you!" Peach's blonde curls were tied back in a ponytail and her dress had been torn to allow her to run more easily. Geno noted a parasol slung across her back.

"About time, really," Daisy deadpanned. Unlike Peach, Daisy had come to the festival wearing a set of athletic clothes beneath her gown, and she had long since discarded of her evening silks. The desert princess hefted a large cactus over her shoulder, its base wrapped up to prevent injury to the wielder.

"We're in the middle of the Jade Jungle," Peach said, anticipating the Star Warrior's question. "You've been out cold for the past two days. We don't know what's going on back at home because Exor flung us so far away from the castle."

"Originally, we'd landed in open water, and the two of us did our best to keep you dry," Daisy added. "Then, a whale, of all things, shows up and gives us a lift here! We can't speak Cetacea, unfortunately, otherwise we'd have asked him for a ride back to the mainland."

"Are you all right, though?" Peach asked, placing a hand gently upon the doll's shoulder.

Geno thought back to his dream and of Eldstar, for a moment. "I think I'm okay," he said plainly. He decided to keep his meeting with the Star Spirit secret, for now. "Where are Mario and the others?" The doll asked, acknowledging their absence for the first time.

"We...well, we don't know," Peach answered dejectedly. "It stands to reason that Exor's shock wave would have sent Mario, Luigi and Mallow flying off, too, but it looks like they ended up somewhere else. It's fortunate for us that we landed here together, at least."

"How peculiar..." Geno mumbled, taking this all in. "And, you two have been fending for yourselves out here, while I've been asleep?"

Daisy shrugged. "Nothing extreme, really. We landed on the opposite side of the island from where the Yoshi Village is, so we've been walking though the jungle in that direction. Peach had her parasol on hand and the northern beaches have these interesting cacti that make very durable clubs." She took a test swing with the weapon and smiled when it _whooshed_ through the air.

Peach giggled and filled Geno in. "Daisy's an expert on horticulture and she spends a lot of her free time outdoors. It's a wonder Sarasaland gets anything done with their monarch always out hiking or exploring the wilderness."

"Excuse me, Ms. Prim-and-Proper," Daisy said slyly. "I'm sorry I don't have a Koopa trying to capture me every other week." She was being playful, of course. "Since Geno's finally awake, maybe we can make some headway through the jungle and get to the village before it gets too dark?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Geno said.

The forest around them was alive with sound as the trio traveled amongst the trees to reach the Yoshi Village. Bugs buzzed and Ravens could be heard cawwing in the canopies above. The sun hung low in the sky, promising the inevitability of nightfall. Daisy was telling Geno about an encounter with a large Piranha Plant that the girls had to deal with while he had been asleep when they chose to stop for a short break in a small clearing within the rainforest. There was a lagoon with freshwater from which the princesses drank and washed their faces before sitting down to relax a moment.

"It sounds as though the both of you are more than capable of defending yourselves," Geno said, complimenting the two princesses. "So then, Princess Peach, why do you always end up kidnapped?"

"Well-" Peach was about to explain just that when, from the bushes, a trio of Spear Guys with paint upon their masks, dressed in grass skirts and carrying feathered spears burst forth and seized the pink princess! "What?!" She found herself bound with vines and being carried by the red-cloaked creatures deeper into the forest quickly, leaving Geno and Daisy dumbfounded!

"Peach!" Geno moved to give chase, when he suddenly found himself hurling after Peach without moving his feet! The warrior had not noticed two more Spear Guys lying in wait in the bushes and he, too, was tied up and kidnapped!

"Oh no, you don't!" Daisy hurtled after the kidnappers with her cactus bat held high! "Take this!" She closed in on one of the Spear Guys who had taken Geno and smacked it clear into the trunk of a large tree, causing the monster to explode into a flurry of multicolored stars! "They're made of Dark Energy?" The revelation came as a surprise to Geno and Peach, but their primary concern was dispatching the Spear Guys as quickly as possible.

"Worry about that later!" Peach screamed as her captors carried her farther and farther away. "Save us, Daisy!"

"Right!" The orange princess swung her club at the second Spear Guy who still had a grip on Geno and ran ahead to rescue Peach. "I'll come back to untie you in a sec!" She called back cheerily. Daisy had a spring in her step as she ran ahead and mowed down two of Peach's kidnappers with one swing! The remaining Spear Guy wasn't able to hold Peach alone and collapsed beneath the Mushroom Princess.

"Oh," Peach said, a note of disappointment in her voice. She smiled at Daisy as the orange-haired girl approached and untied her. "You're really good with that thing, you know?" Toadstool gestured to Daisy's cactus club as she rose to her feet.

Daisy grinned. "I never get the chance to smash baddies with you and the guys! It's fun," she said with a giggle. "It's really a shame I don't get to do this often." She stomped the Spear Guy as it attempted to get up, causing it to explode with a _poof_.

"You'll see, as this whole thing goes on, that it's not always fun to go on adventures." Peach tried to sound playful about it, but a note of sadness tainted her voice. "Anyway, let's go untie Geno and move on. If we stick around any longer, it'll be dark!"

Daisy shrugged and followed her friend, trying to put the blonde's comment at the back of her mind. They found and untied Geno, who was thoroughly impressed by the desert princess's speed and strength.

"You're incredible!" Geno exclaimed as they walked on back to the lagoon. "To think you're capable of such swiftness on foot while holding such a heavy object!"

"Heavy...?" Daisy held the cactus out before her and quirked an eyebrow. "Seems pretty light to me. Wanna try holding it, Geno?"

"Certainly!" Geno took the club from Princess Daisy and nearly toppled forward! She hastily took the weapon back before the Star Warrior harmed himself. "See? Heavy!"

"I guess you're right. Never thought of it much before..."

"Well, I suggest we make camp here for the night," Peach announced as they arrived near the bubbling pool of water in the clearing. The pink princess's parasol lay near the lagoon's edge, which she quickly gathered up. She looked to the skies and saw the sun had already dipped below the treeline. "It's too dangerous to proceed farther in the darkness. Our safest bet is to remain here until daybreak."

"I'm sure we could go on," Daisy countered. "Geno's a Star, right? Can't he use some sort of light magic to help us see?"

Geno shook his head. "I'm afraid my function is purely offensive...the doll lacks a built-in flashlight."

"Guess we're stuck here then," Daisy said with a sigh. "I'll prepare our tents," she said as she walked over to an empty part of the lagoon and began clearing the ground. "Geno, mind helping me gather palm leaves and wood?"

"I'll gather firewood! Nobody leave the lagoon, alright?" Peach warned as she began gather what dry kindling was available.

The trio went to work as the stars began to dot the night sky. None of them knew the state of Toad Town, or even of Mario, Luigi and Mallow. They knew nothing of the Smithy Gang's swift take over of the Mushroom Capital, or of the Machine-Mades that were starting to terrorize nearby towns and villages in search of the fragmented Star Road. In some ways, it was a blessing. At least for tonight, the three of them would sleep soundly.


	3. Purple, Yellow, No Luck, Fellows!

Ch. 3 – Purple, Yellow, No Luck, Fellows!

As the princesses and Geno rested for the night in the Jade Jungle of Y'oster Isle, Mario and his companions trekked along through Bandit's Way. Luckily, the path was lit by the full moon hanging overhead. Bandit's Way was unusually quiet in the middle of the night. Mario occasionally caught the rustle of leaves or the scuffle of stones, but the heroes found themselves utterly alone on the cliff side path. Even the fireflies weren't out tonight, how strange.

"So...why are the stars still out?" Mallow asked out of nowhere. The Nimbus was staring up at the twinkling sky, his face screwed up in confusion. "Didn't Exor kind of...puncture a hole up there?

Luigi _hmm'_ d as he, too, took a look above and found the presence of the stars troubling. "Maybe the Star Road isn't so much the actual _stars,_ but...well, magic, I guess?" He shrugged and returned his attention to trekking towards Toad Town. "It's a good thing we haven't come across any Machine-Mades yet!" He commented, jumping up to a small plateau ahead of Mario and Mallow.

Mario and Mallow both crested the landing as well and found Luigi, frozen in place, staring down two pairs of eyes from the shadows of a large tree. "Guess you spoke too soon, huh, Luigi?" Mallow said, hefting his Froggie Stick. Mario gripped his hammer and prepared to attack whatever mechanical monster waited for them, but none did. Instead, the heroes were met with a most raucous peel of laughter.

"GWAH-HAH-HAH! Oooooooo-we! You sure toughened up since last time, ey, puffball?"

"That voice...!" Mallow quickly looked about, but could not find its source. Meanwhile, the two pairs of eyes staring down the group suddenly became three! The third pair was closer to the ground than the other two, and much larger as well. The eyes look, to Mallow's astonishment, reptilian!

Croco stepped forward, his purple skin looked darker in the moonlight. The crocodile gave Luigi a toothy grin and tipped his white top hat, causing the green plumber to shuffle back to Mario and Mallow without a second's hesitation. "I've been trailin' you boys since Koopa Village! My associates and I have some...debts-" he chuckled at that, "Which we must settle with you."

Luigi looked from Mario to Croco and back again, trying to remember who this guy was. "You're that slimy lizard thief that gave my brother trouble in the Moleville Mines way back when!" He exclaimed after a moment. "So...why are you ambushing us here?"

The crocodile chortled. "Flattery will get you nowhere, green bean," Croco said slyly. "After I saw what happened to ol' Peach's Castle, I thought it prudent to kick you louts while you were down! And, I brought some friends along who have been _dyin'_ to get their hands on you Mario Brothers! Plus, three-on-one a'int exactly fair now, is it?"

Mario and Luigi exchanged worried expressions. "You don't think he means...?" Luigi didn't even have to finish his question. Mario knew exactly who is brother meant.

"WAH!"

From the shadows came forth the Wario Bros. Garbed in yellow and purple, the two counterparts to Mario and Luigi sneered at the heroes and joined Croco out in the open. Wario, the squatter and more muscular of the two, tweaked his jagged mustache as he gave Mario a wolfish smile. "Long time, no see, Red!" He flexed his bulbous bicep and guffawed, "You should really hit the gym more, little man! This is going to be too easy!"

Waluigi, much taller and lankier than his companion, wheezed with laughter at Wario's tormenting. " _Weegee_ doesn't look much better! And who's the creampuff? You hungry for a snack, Beetlebrow?" He nudged Wario and laughed harder at the yellow man's glower. Mario noticed that, of the two, Waluigi was the only one armed: with a tennis racket.

"Shaddup, _Beanpole,_ " Wario spat back. He snickered as Waluigi began to get angry, but Croco put a stop to their fighting before it got out of control.

"BOTH OF YOU, SHADDUP!" The crocodile boomed, surely heard all the way back to Koopa Village. He pointed a claw at the heroes and shouted, " _They're_ the ones we're supposed to be fighting, you nitwits! Now, _FIGHT!_ "

Wario and Waluigi begrudgingly ceased their bickering and launched themselves at Mario and Luigi! "Take this, weakling!" Wario rammed his shoulder directly into Mario, sending the red plumber flying into a tree! "Gwahahah! No one can stand against the Great Wario!"

"Oh, shaddup already, you pudgy ball of sweat!" Waluigi shouted as he swung at Luigi with his tennis racket and missed. "See?! All your showboating made me miss my swing!"

"Are they _always_ like this?" Mallow asked, attempting to land a hit on Croco with his Froggie Stick. The purple croc was much too fast, however, leaving the Nimbus winded.

" _Always_ ," Luigi emphasized as he attempted to punch Waluigi with a Thunderfist! The green plumber's electrified fist shocked his pointy-eared doppelganger square in the stomach, causing Waluigi to keel over and writhe in pain. "Take that, Beanpole!"

"Urg..." Waluigi slowly raise to his feet, tennis racket in hand. "I'll show you, cheater!" Luigi's lanky counterpart pushed off the ground with his powerful legs and sprung high into the air, clobbering the green plumber with his racket on the way down. "Take that!"

As Luigi and Mallow fended off against Waluigi and Croco, Mario dealt with Wario. He was quicker than the portly, yellow crook and got in a few good shots with his hammer and jumps, but Wario would not go down!

"Gwahahah! Your attacks are too weak to do the job, Mario," Wario taunted. "Face it, I'm just better!" He rammed into the plumber once more, but Mario defended himself with his hammer to prevent being launched. Wario jumped back and pulled out a clove of garlic from his purple overalls. "Try this on for size then, hero!" He swallowed the vegetable whole and, suddenly, Mario found himself being battered from every direction by the villain's fists! "It's-a Gnarly Garlic! Works on me just like those disgusting Mushrooms work for you!"

Mario tried to block Wario's attacks, but it proved impossible with his superior speed! The red plumber took a desperate jump to separate himself from his doppelganger, landing where Mallow and Luigi were also fighting. He called to Mallow for an HP Rain as he hefted his hammer and walloped Croco, who had evaded another of the Nimbus's attacks!

"Ey! That's not fair!" The crocodile cried. "Y'all can't go switching up the battle on us like that!" He chomped at Mario with his massive jaws, but the hero swung his hammer hard, injuring the reptile's snout on the downswing!

"HP Rain!" Mallow called as he pointed his staff at Mario. The plumber rejoiced as the healing waters of the prince's magic washed away his fatigue and injuries. "Let's beat these guys, together!" Mallow and Mario both attacked Croco at once, beating him down while Wario attempted to join the fray and Luigi took on Waluigi.

"You cheats!" Waluigi hissed as he swung at Luigi again! The green plumber jumped to evade the move and landed a swift right-hook on the purple man's crooked nose! "YEE-OW!" Waluigi's hands quickly went to his nose, causing him to drop his tennis racket. "That HURTS, you rat!" The purple villain danced about from foot to foot, entirely consumed in the pain of his injury.

"Well, if you wouldn't have attacked us, none of this would be happening!" Luigi chided. He stopped attacking his rival and stood there as Waluigi overcame his pain. "If you don't want to fight anymore, just say so."

Waluigi stamped his foot and said, in a pinched voice, "NO! I will _NOT_ forfeit to the likes of you and your cheating brother!" He gathered his racket with one hand and covered his nose with the other as he glowered at Luigi.

Luigi looked over his shoulder at Mario and Mallow, who were now trouncing Wario and Croco together and sighed. "Oh well, if that's the way you want it!" He leaped into the air and Super Jumped on Waluigi's noggin, hopping onto a higher ledge as he did so. "Come and get me!"

"WAH!" Waluigi jumped, swinging at Luigi and catching him as the green plumber attempted to shy away from the attack! "I'm-a gonna win!"

Meanwhile, Wario and Croco were giving Mario and Mallow a run for their money. Mallow gasped as he attempted to avoid Croco's Spritz Bombs, but the purple croc kept pulling them from his sack of loot and was too fast for the Nimbus to effectively avoid him! "I forgot how exhausting this stuff was," Mallow said warily as he moved to swing at Croco.

"Aww, giving up already, fluffy?" Croco asked with a mocking laugh. "No wonder you boys couldn't stop that big ol' blade from coming out of the sky!" He made to bite at Mallow, but the prince swiftly clobbered him with his staff. "Oof!" The crocodile run back to a safe distance and noticed, with a twist in his stomach, that these guys were actually _beating_ him and the Wario Bros! "Well, I a'int gonna call it quits here!...except for this battle, that is! See ya, suckers! I'll be back, though! I GARE-ON-TEEEEEEE!"

The group looked on, dumbfounded, as Croco run off at full-speed through Bandit's Way, leaving Wario and Waluigi at the mercy of Mario and company. Wario looked particularly betrayed, his massive jaw hung open in shock. "That sniveling lizard!" The yellow man grumbled. "Leaving us high-and-dry without evening paying us!"

"Cheater!" Waluigi yelled after Croco as he hopped down towards his brother, a mean look on the purple villain's thin face. The blue circles beneath both of the Warios' eyes made them particularly frightful to look at while scowling. "What do we do now, Bettlebrow?" He asked, smacking his cohort upside the head with his racket.

"Wha?!" Wario gave Waluigi a nasty expression. "How am _I_ supposed to know? _You're_ the one who said we should work with the _lizard_!" He punched Waluigi in the gut, making the taller crook keel over once more. Wario then remembered he was surrounded by Mario, Luigi and Mallow, and had only his, now wheezing, brother to assist him.

"So...are we done here?" Mallow asked.

"For now," Wario grunted. "We're out of here! I'm gonna sit on that crocodile until he coughs up every Coin he owes me..."

"Urg..." Waluigi wobbled to his feet and glowered at Wario. "We'll see you losers again," He threatened. The dastardly pair began to shuffle off, but Luigi called out.

"Wait a minute!" The Wario Bros. turned to face the heroes as Luigi asked, "Why were you guys working for Croco? Do you know anything about what's happening in Toad Town?"

Wario snorted. "As if we'd tell you bozos what's going on." He shoved a fat finger into his ear and dug around as he said, "That cheapsake promised us top-Coin if we helped him wallop on some nobodies! What a fat lie that was!" He pulled his finger from his ear and sniffed it, grimacing at the scent. "Not even a fair fight, considering Croco scrammed before we were finished!"

"Yeah! If we'd known it was the two of you _cheaters_ then we would have come prepared," Waluigi stated. He and Wario exchanged a quick glance, the taller one giving his companion a curt nod to tell the heroes what they knew.

"If you really wanna know what's going on at the capital..." Wario grumbled as he divulged the details. "All of Toad Town's been taken over by those stupid machines! There's a barrier around the whole town; can't get in or out except through the gates!"

"The gates have Orb Users stationed to fire spells at anyone who gets close that isn't mechanical!" Waluigi added. "We were staking it out with that crook Croco yesterday. They work fast, and they're deploying troops out this direction. Something about the Star Road..." The villains crossed their arms and huffed, having given up all the information that they cared to share.

The pair turned to leave. Wario shouted back, "That's all we got for ya, losers! Consider it a gift for putting up a good fight!"

Mallow looked puzzled as Wario and Waluigi disappeared down Bandit's Way and out of sight. "Those are easily the strangest people I've ever met," the prince said, bemused. "Are they like, your rivals, or something?"

Luigi nodded and scratched the back of his head. "Wario and Waluigi are nephews of some kook south of Moleville. Ever since we were all kids, they've considered us their mortal enemies, for some reason or another..." The green plumber looked off towards Toad Town, the shadow of Exor visible against the night sky. "I'm worried about what they said about the town. If it's really under such heavy guard, and they're sending out troops our way, then we may have to work a little faster."

Mario nodded and retrieved Super Shrooms from his pocket to give to Mallow, Luigi and himself. Once the trio felt the curative effects of the spores, they proceeded along Bandit's Way, finally arriving near the outskirts of Toad Town's eastern gate.

The gate had been completely reinforced with metal plating, and two sentry towers, also metallic, had been constructed to either side of the entrance. Atop the towers, the heroes spied twin Orb Users, sentient orange staffs with magical powers, watching the perimeter. From above the town wall, spotlights could be seen shining down on the town, as well as spires and girders. The sound of various power tools and hammers could be heard like a constant applause, even from the outskirts of the capital. Looming overhead, at this distance like a god upon ants, was Exor: the sword that served as a portal between Smithy's own dimension and wherever Exor stood. Its eyes were closed, and its enormous maw shut, though none of the heroes felt quite right with the gargantuan sword over them.

"How do we get in?" Mallow whispered. He and the Mario Bros. had gotten as close to the gate as possible, and were now hidden amongst a cropping of rocks which they hoped was out of the sentries' range.

Luigi peeked over the stones for a second and watched the Orb Users at their stations. Both seemed to swivel at 180 degree angles, one from right to left, and the other doing the opposite. He ducked back and said, "We got a shot when they're both facing away from the gate, but we gotta be quick about it." Luigi held out his right hand and willed it to become super-charged with electricity. Sure enough, his glove had sparks of blue electrical energy popping around it. "Mallow, when we get close, you need to use your Shocker attack on the gate. With enough energy, we may be able to overload the system and force the gate open."

"Got it!" The prince pulled out the last of his Power Flowers from his pants and frowned. "I've only got enough Flower Points for one attack, Luigi."

"No worries, Mallow! We got this," He said with a thumb's-up. "Mario, we need you to run interference and distract the Orb Users before they cycle back to face the gate."

Mario nodded and hefted his hammer.

On Luigi's cue, he and Mallow ran full-tilt towards the town gate! The mechanical staffs were completely unaware of the Nimbus or the plumber until it was too late and both had reached the metal slab that prevented entry to Toad Town. Luigi found the control panel on the wall to the right of the gate and punched it with a Thunderfist! The result was a short-circuit of the door's lock mechanism, but they still needed to open it to get through.

Meanwhile, Mario watched the Orb Users as they began to rotate their sensors back towards the entrance and ran forward to catch their attention! He waved his hammer about and jumped all around, noticing that both sentries were totally focused on him.

The Orb Users were incapable of speech, but the red jewels that hung above their heads flashed menacingly, signaling to Mario that they were about to attack! He jumped out of the way as a bolt of electricity shot out from one of the staff's gems and nearly fried the plumber! The other launched a second lightning strike at the plumber, but it too missed, though narrowly.

"Mallow! Use your Shocker!" Luigi had been trying to force the gate open using his own strength, but it was too heavy for him, and Mallow, to lift! "If we can't lift it open, at least we can blast it down, right?"

Mallow pointed his Froggie Stick at the gate and took a deep breath, crushing the Power Flowers he held in his other hand. "Shocker!" He shouted, sending a powerful, golden spark through his staff and into the door! For a moment, nothing happened. And then-

 _ **-BooM!-**_

The door exploded with a dull boom, allowing Luigi, Mallow and Mario to enter Toad Town! Mallow hurried on through as Luigi signaled to his brother to get a move on.

Mario danced around electric bolts and streams of fire as he evaded the Orb User sentries, making his way closer to the town entrance as he did so. When he reached the staffs' programmed scanning zone, the two machines reset and went back to looking out over the eastern outskirts. The plumber breathed a sigh of relief as he joined Luigi and Mallow within the town walls, but their victory was cut short by what they saw before them:

Toad Town looked almost unrecognizable. A bulk of the town's buildings had been demolished or refurbished by the Machine-Mades into various "production factories" for different models of troops. The streets were turn up in various spots, the pipes and sewers beneath being altered or removed by working-class machines designed specifically for the task. Mario saw jackhammers, sledgehammers, screwdrivers, Drill Bits, Aeros, and a whole plethora of other mechanical monstrosities roaming about, working on their master's diabolical plan.

"What do we do now?" Mallow asked. He looked about, but there were no indications that any prisoners had been taken when the town was overrun. The three heroes stuck to the shadows near the demolished gate to avoid being seen. All throughout the roads, enormous spotlights beamed down to illuminate the various projects being worked on through the night. Attracting attention now could prove deadly...

Luigi grabbed both Mario and Mallow and ducked behind a nearby crate marked, "EXTRA PARTS". A moment later, two guards, both Shysters, hopped past on their pogo sticks. The green plumber held a finger to his lips, hoping his friends kept quiet.

"Did you what-" _bounce_ "Smith asked-" _bounce_ "Mack to do?" _bounce,_ One Shyster said to the other. The two perpetually bouncing, mechanical Shy Guys had stopped to hop in place in front of the pile of debris and boxes that the heroes were hidden behind. The trio did their best to remain silent as they eavesdropped on the conversation.

"No-" _bounce_ "What happened?" _bounce_ , the other answered.

"Well, word is-" _bounce_ "That Mack's left-" _bounce_ "To collect a Star!" _bounce_.

"No way!" _bounce_ "That's so cool!" _bounce_ "Where is it?" _bounce_

"The old fortress!" _bounce_ "To the north-" _bounce_ "at the fork-" _bounce_ "in the west!" _bounce_

Mario and his friends shared the same expression as they heard the exchange. A piece of the Star Road, sitting in the abandoned Koopa Bros. Fortress! But, one of Smithy's generals was already there, which made this a race between Mario and the Smithy Gang!

"Hey!" _bounce_ "What happened to the gate?" _bounce._ The two Shysters had their attention drawn to the smoldering hole in the middle of the door and both began searching more closely for intruders. "Come out!" _bounce_ "Come out!" _bounce_ "Wherever you are!"

One of the guards hopped over the crate where the heroes had taken refuge and exclaimed, "Intruders!" _bounce_

"We've been spotted!" Mallow swung at the Shyster with his Froggie Stick, sending the Machine-Made tumbling! "Let's get out of here, guys!"

"Mallow's right, Mario," Luigi said. "We need to find that Star first!"

Mario nodded and jumped onto the second Shyster's head, knocking it over, rendering the hopping machine immobile.

"Whose idea was it to have the pogo sticks _attached_?!" One of the robots said aloud as it attempted to right itself, to hilarious effect. The Shyster was floundering about, unable to push itself upright with its stubby hands; the bouncing mechanism in its pogo stick causing it to skid about on the ground!

Mario, Luigi and Mallow laughed as they retreated through the hole they'd made in the town gate, skirting the Orb Users, and ran along Bandit's Way towards the abandoned stronghold were the first Star awaited them. The moon hung low in the sky, and morning would be upon them soon.

* * *

While Mario and his allies ran along towards the Koopa Bros. former fortress, Mack and his Shysters had already begun combing the place in search of the fallen fragment of the Star Road that crashed here when Exor crossed into the Mushroom World. Mack had put the Shysters to work immediately, but so far the Star had not revealed itself to the general or his minions.

Mack has looking into the fortress's inner sanctum when a Shyster hopped in frantically. The general turned to face him, bouncing on the large knife upon which he was attached. "What is it? Have you located the Star yet?" The general looked down on the Shyster, the angry expression on his horned, red face was becoming less intimidating to look at.

"Well, sir-" _bounce_ "The guards have-" _bounce_ "Spotted some people-" _bounce_ "Headed this way!" _bounce_

"What?!" Mack bounced once, sending a small shock wave throughout the room. "Well, take care of them, nuts-for-brains! Hup-two!"

"Ai, ai!" _bounce bounce bounce_ "Sound the alarm!" _bounce_! The Shyster exited the sanctum, and a moment later Mack heard the perfectly timed _thump_ of dozens of Machine-Mades as they hopped to their stations to rebuke whatever visitor had come knocking.

The general looked about the room, wondering where the Star might be. He was in the most well-guarded part of the fortress, at the end of a long runway upon which Bullet Bill Blasters were primed to shoot at whoever crossed their line of sight, accessible only through said runway as the building rested on the top of a steep cliff face. Logically, the Star would be here. Though, applying logical to "magical" celestial objects seemed a bit ridiculous. He hopped across the long stone bridge that composed the bulk of this part of the tower. The ceiling above was lost in shadow, though access to any upper level seemed impossible. Below, a fifty foot drop landed one within the fortress's dungeon; a most peculiar design choice, building a massive tower with no upper floor, a dungeon beneath it, and a single stone catwalk across it somewhere in the middle. It had been _built_ to house something, once.

"I wish this darn thing would show up already..."

And, sure enough, in a flash of blue light, the Star appeared.


End file.
